A total of 5,721 “ghost” pensioners received regular monthly pensions totaling P70,250,300 despite being reported to have died as of Dec. 31, 2018, the Commission on Audit has revealed.
In the 2018 annual audit report for the Philippine Veterans Administration Office, CoA also ordered a halt in the grant of funds for the improvement of the Libingan ng mga Bayani in Taguig City into a “world-class” memorial facility due to the failure of implementing agencies to liquidate the P466 million advanced by PVAO.
The State audit agency issued a notice of suspension for the audit deficiencies it noted in the release of the fund to the Bases Conversion Development Authority, the supposed implementor of the project.
CoA directed PVAO to hold liable officials and employees involved in the processing and payment of monthly pensions to deceased pensioners.
“Monthly pensions of 5,721 deceased pensioners totaling P70,250,300 was paid, of which P36,454,688.16 or 51.89 percent was unrefunded,” the audit report stated in connection with the distribution of the cash benefit to the ghost pensioners.
The massive pension irregularity was discovered after CoA compared the payroll of pensioners and the list of reported deaths as of 2018. It was noted that 5,721 or 84.5 percent of the 6,768 reported deaths continue to be paid regular monthly pensions ranging from one to 64 months. (Ben Rosario)